News

Chocolate bug cases spread

Cadbury hit by more salmonella claims

CADBURY was fighting to save its reputation this weekend as genetic tests showed a possible link between the salmonella strain that contaminated its products and dozens of cases of illness around Britain.

At least 53 people are known to have come down with severe stomach upsets after contracting salmonella montevideo, a rare strain of the disease.

This weekend the Health Protection Agency (HPA) confirmed molecular fingerprinting tests had shown that the bacteria that caused the outbreaks were the same as those contaminating some of its products. Last week the company, Britain’s biggest chocolate manufacturer, recalled 1m chocolate bars.

The HPA said the number of cases of the disease could be up to five times higher than the 53 reported because many people with stomach upsets never visit their doctor.

“The molecular typing showed that the samples from Cadbury were the same as the human cases. We cannot be 100% sure